Building brick



H. F. ZAGRAY BUILDING BRICK Oct. 13, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 15, 1947 H. F. ZAGRAY BUILDING BRICK Oct. 13, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed D60. 15, 1947 Fig.9

Snventor Harold F Zagray %torneg5 Patented Oct. 13, 1953 E T OFFI E 2,555,03 BUILDING BRICK Harold Zagray, Canton, Ohio, assignor, by inesiie assi'ghrneiits; to Precision Buildin Sys= tem, Inc Gatliton, Ohio, a, corporation of Ohio Applicetiol l December 15, 1947, Serial N 0. 791,899

1 The invention relates to building bricks of a, trfie'designea for' building a dry wan end then pdhrifi'g mortar. Or other bonding mater al through ihterhal, inter-conneetihg pa sages formed Within the bricks, and the present invenues is an improvement upon the pending applic atmn of Johri'H. Stewart, s ries No. 8,538 filed February 19, 19,46, 1 9w abandoned.

The object of the'hi'v'ention' is to provide a building brick hevingve'rticel apertures therethreii'eh and Yertieell and" horizontal groev'es adapted to 'reg'ister'with similar grooves and apertures of similar bricks, when built int-o at well, so as to provide iiiter cOnneCting passages into which mortar or other send-liquid bonding material may be poured or forced under'prestobond th'e loiicksto'glether iii a. solid wall. "Ahother'obiet is ta prov a a brick or this haracter having nor-menta longitudinally "disposed open ngs exten ing entirely therethrough and adapted to register with eorresponding' openings in similar bricks; when builtiiito wan, to pro"- videei'r spaces within the'wa'll for the purpose of heat endcold iiistiletio'n. t

A further object is to provide a brick or this character having a longitudinal rib on its u per side and a longitudinal recess of greater depth than" the rib in its lower side forifee'iving the he of a'sinmar brick and orming a mortar passage'ther between. Y v A still further object is to provide a brick or this e araetern ving vertical gr eves iii-resend fetbijlbdatd between the hiizontal air spaces aiid the adjacent side races 'of the brick, and s6 positioned that'they will communicate with the horizontal mortar speces "formed between adja cent bricks when built into a; well, whereby mortar or other semi-liquid bonding material from said horizontal mortar space willfill said vertical grooves, forrfr'iing'j'a, moisture seal between the outer surfaces of the brick and the air spaces therein.

Another object of the invention is .to provide such a brie}; in which these spalced vemcei grooves in the tids bf the bricks communicate through substantially horizontelgrooves at their upper ends with the central vertical and horizontalgrd ves in the brick so as to facilitate the fiow o f mortar or other bonding materiel thereto. I

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from the drawings and follovving description; or' which may be later' referred to, may be attained by constructing the improved brick in the'menner hereinafter described in de- 3 Cleiln's. (Cl. 725-41) 2 tail end illustrated in the accompanying draw irigs, in whichf Figure 1 is a perspective view of e building brick embodying the iiiv'ehtion;

Fig. 2 a perspective view of a slightly inedifled form Of the improved bliildihg brick ifl Whih the loilgitlldinal rih'ltjthtob of the "91116. the coffespdfidihg loili'tiidinalfeess at the bot= torn thereof are bevelled; Fig. 3 arragmenta y, perspective view of one end of a brick such as shown in Fig. 2 provided with vertical mortar receiving grooves in its end faces lbcated between the air spaces and the outer walls of the'brijck;

Fig. 4 a fragmentary perspective View of one end portion bf a trial: n which the vertical grooves such as shovfnin Fig.3 eommunicate'at their upper ends] through substahtially horizontal grooves; with the larger, 'eentrar horizo'ntzil endvefticl'grotji esj Fig. 5 a; fragmentar top plan view of abutting end porti'oi'is 0f :twdof'theifhpi'oved bricks 0f the type shown in Fig. 4;

"Fig. '6 al vertieel sect onal elevation through two superposed bricks of the type shown in Figs. 4 an 5 v Fig. 7 a perspective view of a quoin or corner i k v v,

Fig. 8 a top plan view showing the manner in which a stretcher brick abut'se quoiii at a corner are tanned Fig. 9 an end view of the outer end of the quoin orcornerbriek.

Referring first to the forih of the brickshown in Fig. 1, a horiiontal, lfingitudir'ial'ly disposed rib or projection rib 6i fil'OjeC t/ioii i0 is formed upon the top or each'briek, he'iiing sn'ghny ta,- pered side walls i I the Substantially flit we Wall 12 provided with Q; chtrall; loi'lgitlldinal disposed, horizpm 'gmoye I3} A longitudinal rece s 1 4, Of Slightly greater width than the rib or projection 10 and of somewhat greater depth as best shown in Fig. 6, extends'horizontelly along the lower side of the brick and has a centrally located, longitiidinei groove I5- therein correspondihg to the groove 13 inthe top of the bri k.

By forming the recess Min the bottom of the brick slightly wider than the rib ii! on the top of the brick, it will'be seen that when such bricks are superposed in it well there will be a slight lateral clearance between the tapered side walls of the recess in each brick end'the tapered side walls ll of the rib in the next lower block so as topermit a; slight lateral shifting of each brick, if necessary, to properly align it in the wall, as it is placed in position.

Longitudinally disposed openings l6 are formed entirely through the brick, from one end thereof to the other, to form air spaces within the brick and located on opposite sides of the central vertical grooves l'l formed in the ends of the brick and communicating at their upper and lower ends with the longitudinal grooves 13 and IS.

The grooves I! are preferably substantially half-round in cross section and adapted to form substantially round, vertical passages when the brick is butted endwise against similar bricks in a course of a wall built from such bricks.

A central, substantially round, vertical opening I8 is formed entirely through each brick, communicating at its upper and. lower ends with the upper and lower longitudinal grooves l3 and Hi, this central opening being of substantially the same size and shape as the vertical passages formed by the end grooves I! when two of the bricks are butted together endwise, and is adapted to align vertically with such vertical passages, in courses above and below, when the bricks are laid up in a wall.

Since no mortar joints are visible in a wall built of these bricks, it is desirable that the abutting surfaces of the bricks fit tightly together and for this purpose the end surfaces IS, the top surfaces 20 at each side of the groove I3, of the longitudinal rib l and the lower surfaces 2|, at each side of the longitudinal recess M. are ground smooth flat and true, so as to provide tight joints between the bricks. In order to provide for grinding the surfaces 20, a relief groove 22 is preferably provided in the corner between each of the surfaces 20 and II.

With the exception of the contour of the longitudinal rib at the top and the corresponding longitudinal recess at the bottom, the brick shown in Fig. 2 is otherwise the same as illustrated in Fig. l and above described, and for this purpose the same reference numerals are used upon all parts of this brick except said rib and the recess.

The rib Ifla in this form of the brick has the bevelled top surface l2a and slightly bevelled side walls Ila. and the recess Ma has the bevelled top surface 23 at each side of the central groove l5. This recess, the same as that in Fig. l, is of slightly greater depth than the rib at the top of the brick in order to provide a longitudinal mortar receiving space therebetween when the bricks are laid up in a wall.

For the purpose of providing a moisture seal between the outer surfaces of the brick and the air spaces [6, vertical mortar receiving grooves may be formed in the end walls of the brick between the air spaces and the outer walls of the brick and extending from the sides of the rib at the top of the brick to the sides of the recess at the bottom of the brick. These grooves may be provided in either form of bricks shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 3 is shown the provision of such grooves upon a brick of the type shown in Fig. 2, these grooves being indicated at 24 while the remainder of the brick is of the same construction as that shown in Fig. 2 and the same reference numerals are applied to the other parts of the brick as in Fig. 2.

As shown these grooves are located between the longitudinal air openings l6 and the adjacent side walls of the brick and extend from the sides of the rib [0a to the sides of the recess Ma so that when these bricks are laid up in a wall the grooves 24 in the abutting ends of adjacent bricks in a course will form mortar receiving passages which will communicate with the longitudinal mortar receiving passages formed between the rib of each brick and the recess oi the next upper brick into which the rib is received.

In Fig. 4 is shown a variation of the invention as shown in Fig. 3, and in this figure the grooves are applied to the ends of a brick of the type shown in Fig. 1. It should be understood that the grooves such as in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 may be applied to either type of brick as shown in Fig. 1 or Fig. 2.

In this form of the brick all parts may be the same as shown in Fig. 1 with the exception of the vertical grooves 24a and the substantially horizontal grooves 25, connecting the upper ends of the grooves 24a with the central, vertical grooves l1 and the central longitudinal grooves [3 of the brick. All other parts of the brick are the same as, and are indicated by the same reference numerals, as in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 5 is shown the manner in which the bricks are butted together, end to end in a course, in building a wall and in Fig. 6 is shown the manner in which one course of the bricks is placed upon another in the building of a wall. Although the particular type of brick used in each of these two views is as shown in Fig. 4, it should be understood that the various other types illustrated and above described may be fitted together in the same manner in laying up a wall.

As shown in these two views, when the bricks are laid up in a wall the adjacent ends of bricks in the same course will be butted against each other as shown in Fig. 5, the opposed vertical grooves ll forming a substantially round vertical opening between the ends of the bricks.

In the same manner the grooves 240. of adjacent bricks will form substantially round openings extending vertically on each side of the end wall between the air spaces l6 and the adjacent outer surfaces of the brick. The horizontal grooves 25 of opposed bricks will form horizontal openings or passages extending from the central opening formed by the grooves I! to the vertical openings formed by the grooves 24a.

As shown in Fig. 6, when one course of bricks is laid upon another, horizontal, longitudinally disposed mortar spaces 26 will be formed between the different courses of bricks because of the ribs 10 being of less height than the recesses [4 into which they are received.

These mortar spaces are centrally enlarged by the grooves l3 and they communicate with the vertical, central openings I8 and the vertical openings formed by the grooves I! of abutting bricks in the same course. It will also be seen in Fig. 6 that the vertical grooves 24a, located between the air spaces [6 and the adjacent outer walls of the brick, communicate at both ends with these mortar spaces 26.

Thus when mortar or other semi-liquid bonding material is poured or forced under pressure into the openings I8 and I7, it will fill the mortar spaces 26 and the vertical passages formed by the grooves 24a, not only bonding the brickstogether in a solid structure but preventing moisture from passing through the joints from the outside to the air spaces l6.

Since the top and bottom edges 20 and 2|, as well as the ends I9 of the bricks, are ground true and straight, the bricks will all fit tightly together, not only providing moisture-tight joints but presenting a pleasing appearance in the finished wall.

In Fig. 7 is shown a quoin, or corner brick, the inner end portion of which may be made in the same manner as any of the forms shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, excepting that no air spaces are provided on opposite sides of the vertical central grooves I1. This portion of the brick is shown of the type as in Fig. 1 and the same numerals are applied thereto.

The outer end portion of the quoin, or corner brick, is different each having the closed fiat end 27, and a vertical groove I1 is formed in one side adapted to cooperate with an end groove I! in the abutting stretcher brick as shown in Fig. 8. A substantially rectangular rib or projection I is formed upon the top of the outer end portion of the quoin, which is of the same shape as the rib Ill and provided with the longitudinal groove l3 similar to the groove 13 and having a vertical opening l8 therethrough.

It should be understood that these quoins or corner bricks are made in lefts and rights, that is the groove ll may be formed in either side of the brick as may be required.

I claim:

1. A building brick having a longitudinal rib upon its upper side and a correspondingly shaped recess of slightly greater width and depth than the width and height, respectively of the rib, in its lower side, there being a longitudinal, centrally disposed groove in the rib and a corresponding groove in the recess, and vertical, central grooves in the ends of the brick communicating at their upper and lower ends with the ends of said longitudinal grooves, a central, vertical, opening extending entirely through the brick and communicating at opposite ends with the central portions of said longitudinal grooves, and openings extending longitudinall through the brick and spaced on opposite sides of said vertical grooves and openings, there being a longitudinal relief groove in the corner between each rib and the adjacent top surface of the brick, said top surfaces on each side of the rib and the lower surfaces on each side of the recess being ground true so that they will fit tightly against similar bricks.

2. A building brick having a longitudinal rib upon its upper side and a correspondingly shaped recess of slightly greater width and depth than the width and height, respectively of the rib, in its lower side, said rib and recess having flat upper surfaces, there being a, longitudinal, centrally disposed groove in the rib, and a corresponding groove in the recess, and vertical, central grooves in the ends of the brick communicating at their upper and lower ends with the ends of said longitudinal grooves, a central, vertical,

opening extending entirely through the brick and communicating at opposite ends with the central portions of said longitudinal grooves, and openings extending longitudinally through the brick and spaced on opposite sides of said vertical grooves and openings, there being a longitudinal relief groove in the corner between each rib and the adjacent top surface of the brick, said top surfaces on each side of the rib and the lower surfaces on each side of the recess being ground true so that they will fit tightly against similar bricks.

3. A building brick having a longitudinal rib upon its upper side and a correspondingly shaped recess of slightly greater width and depth than the width and height, respectively of the rib, in its lower side, so that there will be a lateral clearance between the rib and recess of similar bricks, there being a longitudinal centrally disposed groove in the rib and a corresponding groove in the recess so as to provide a flat, horizontal mortar space therebetween with an enlarged central portion, a central, vertical, opening extending entirely through the brick and communicating at opposite ends with the central portions of the longitudinal grooves and, vertical, central grooves in the ends of the block communicating at their upper and lower ends with the ends of the longitudinal grooves, there being longitudinal air space openings extending entirely through the brick on opposite sides of said vertical opening and grooves, and other vertical grooves, of less width than the vertical central grooves, located in the ends of the brick between said longitudinal air space openings and the outer walls of the brick and transverse grooves in the ends of the rib communicating with said central grooves and said other vertical grooves.

HAROLD F. ZAGRAY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,154,546 Peters Sept. 21, 1915 1,410,588 Myers Mar, 28, 1922 1,785,499 Sayers Dec. 16, 1930 1,884,319 Smith Oct. 25, 1932 2,102,447 Whitacre Dec. 14, 1937 2,106,177 Hultquist Jan. 25, 1988 2,558,630 Stewart June 26, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 8,387 Great Britain of 1903 24,969 Great Britain of 1905 415,757 France of 1910 21,481 France of 1920 194,627 Great Britain of 1923 212,828 Great Britain of 1924 611,679 France of 1926 

